Chapter 1

Derek, who is a fit man of thirty-five, who is clean shaven with strong angular facial features, with well kept brown hair, and intelligent and kind brown eyes makes his living in the business of high finance and investment.

Now normally Derek is to be found wearing a well-to-do suit, but today he is wearing simple kaki shorts and a dark blue colored tennis shirt as he makes his way down towards a beautiful beach in the San Diego area to meet his spunky friend Brandi McGee at a local eatery that overlooks the ocean.

Finally Derek spots Brandi waving to him as she has once again beats him to the restaurant. As Derek walks up to her he smiles to himself because Brandi does not look any different then she did in high school. That is to say she is still adorable and her spunky nature can easily be seen in her pretty hazel eyes that shine from underneath her medium length auburn hair.

As he comes up to her at the table in the cordoned off outside area of the restaurant she smiles and stands, they hug each other warmly for they have been friends the longest of their immediate circle. “Hey, Brandi, Brandi, how are you this fine Saturday afternoon?”

“I’m good. I just closed another house.”

“Congratulations! That makes what ... three this month?”

“Four. Things are finally starting to pick up again.”

“Excellent! Have you ordered yet?”

“No. I was waiting for you to get here. How’s work?”

“Not bad. Some people are starting to invest and borrow again, but most are starting to understand that you can’t just keep throwing money and regulations at problems and think that is going to make everything better. It’ll come around. Ah, enough about work. How’s your love life?

“Non-existent. But speaking of love-lives...”

“Uh-oh!”

“What?” says Brandi, with an innocent smile. “Anyway, I met this pretty lady the other day and I thought you two might hit it off.” Derek sighs. “What’s wrong?”

“Ah, Brandi, my dearest friend, sometimes I worry that it’s never going to happen for me.”

“I know. Look at me, I’m single, too, but I keep on trying! Maybe if you amended your flowers requirement it might happen.”

“You mean settle? Brandi, we may not be perfect, but we are good people, I think.” Brandi nods her head. “I think we deserve to find the one who we not only want, but need.”

Brandi smiles because she loves her friend’s beautiful heart. “Well then, I thought we would keep it casual and I’ll bring her along to the club tonight. We are all still meeting there tonight, aren’t we?”

“As far as I know. Okay, my beautiful friend, let’s do it!”

Just then the waitress walks up and they move on with their luncheon.

Derek has a nice home. It’s a two-story older home that is a little ways outside of the city to where your neighbor isn’t twenty feet away. The colors and ambiance are nature’s colors and very relaxing and centering; and the music of Dean Martin playing on the stereo lends the moment a peaceful atmosphere. But that is Derek in a nutshell.

As Derek is getting ready, the phone rings. “Hello.”

“Hi, Derek.”

“Hey, Lisa,” he says Lisa in that way that always makes the shy blonde-haired Lisa smile. “You guys still making it this evening?”

“Yep! We’ll be there about eight.”

“Okay.”

“I talked to Brandi earlier; she says she’s bringing a date for you.” Lisa has such a sweet voice and a beautiful heart.

Derek smiles before saying, “Yeah, we had lunch today and she told me also. Well, sweetheart, let me finish getting ready and I’ll see you and David there.”

“Okay.” As Lisa is hanging up the phone she smiles adoringly because she hopes the very best for her dear friend Derek.

Everybody in their immediate circle knows that Derek and Lisa went out for a while in high school, in fact they were each other’s first time, but there is no jealousy or awkwardness there because they are all true and good friends.

On his way to finish getting ready Derek turns up the stereo and as Dean Martin, the second greatest singer of all time, is singing Sway, Derek gets ready.

On his way over to the nightclub, a very posh and secluded nightclub that isn’t always guaranteed that you can get in, he calls his friend Eric.

“Speak to me, my man.” says Eric, in his smooth manner.

“In route, be there in thirty.”

“Excellent! We are going to seduce some women tonight!”

“Sorry, my man, but Brandi is bringing a date for me.”

“What? No! I had several new lines ready, willing and able.”

“No worries, I can still be your wing man.”

“Yeah, yeah, but it’s just not the same when we are both on the prowl together.”

“Don’t you worry none, bro, I’m sure you’ll hook up tonight.”

“I know! I was worried about you.”

They both smile. “Kind of you.”

“You know I always got your back, my brother.”

Again they both smile as they hang up with no further need to communicate.

The Circle, as they are known about town, are gathering outside waiting for Brandi to show up with Derek’s date. They are standing just on the outside of the line that reaches half way around the block.

As Brandi and Derek’s date come walking up to the waiting group, Derek is getting a good look at the pretty lady. Brandi wasn’t kidding when she said she was pretty. Long jet-black hair, a smile to die for, and she fills out the little black dress she is wearing quite nicely.

“Angela, this is Derek. Derek, Angela.”

“It is nice to meet you,” says Derek, bowing slightly and handing her a white rose. The count has begun.

She smiles prettily as she looks up at him. “Thank you.”

“Angela, this blonde-haired, blue-eyed dapper devil is Eric, David is the big man with the brown hair and kind smile and the sweetest one of us all, the blonde-haired blue-eyed goddess is Lisa.”

“Hi.” After introductions are finished, Angela looks at the long line of people and says, “I hope we can get in tonight!”

“No worries,” says Eric, in his grand, but smooth, manner. “The owner is a friend of ours from high school.”

They start making their way to the front of the line and the very large doorman, slash bouncer. “Bradley!”

Chapter 2 »